The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[mister7]

It's called "The Mountain" and it was made in 1956. Kind of a classic movie among climbers. I have been a climber my whole life and it still fires me up when I see it! You are correct on the cast, they play brothers and it is a morality play. They climb a mountain to get to a plane crash and the real story is the difference between the brothers morals.

 

[Creeping Past]

many of the climbers wore Cords (of Roy, ) trousers, well they were calf length (as opposed to knee length) and the cord material was widely grooved and thick looking and textured, I particularly noticed the front pockets to be slits, like jean pockets but at a straight angle. They were alway a loose baggy fit.
Doug C

A bit like these breeks? But with in-seam pockets?

 

[BellyTank]

If I had to climb, wearing something like those breeks,
I'd want them to be full in the seat and thigh, like plusfours.
They would need to terminate and fasten a couple of inches below the knee, to allow full movement. I've seen a lot of these type of pants and always thought they were a bit too tight for climbing. But if you can comfortably get your knee up to your chest, without any restriction of movement in them, then I guess I'm talking a bunch of old Arse.

I think he means the pockets are horizontal, rather than vertical- so the stuff stays in them. A bit like Old West pants, Equestrian/Jodhpurs/Cavalry pants.

A pocket on-seam would be as vertical as you can get.
All yer pocket flurf would spill oot.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

If I had to climb, wearing something like those breeks,
I'd want them to be full in the seat and thigh, like plusfours.
They would need to terminate and fasten a couple of inches below the knee, to allow full movement. I've seen a lot of these type of pants and always thought they were a bit too tight for climbing. But if you can comfortably get your knee up to your chest, without any restriction of movement in them, then I guess I'm talking a bunch of old Arse.

I think he means the pockets are horizontal, rather than vertical- so the stuff stays in them. A bit like Old West pants, Equestrian/Jodhpurs/Cavalry pants.

A pocket on-seam would be as vertical as you can get.
All yer pocket flurf would spill oot.


B
T

Pocket seam - makes perfect sense to me... now... thinking about those Swiss and German button/flap pockets.

Alan Blackshaw, in his classic book on mountaineering, called "Mountaineering", suggests Moleskin or Bedford cord in preference to corduroy, which he says is too heavy when wet. (Note, when not if.) He recommends a reinforced seat, too.

 

[BellyTank]

Making a mountain (trouser) out of a Moleskin(or not)

Several available options spring to mind... which could be made to work,
needing alterations from slight tweaks to more major mods.

These beauties from Australia- I have a pair:
http://www.lawranceordnance.com/kha...-first-world-war/mounted-pattern-breeches.jpg

Pockets are good, seat is reinforced, Bedford cord and they're Jodhpurs- plenty roomy, or take the sides in a little to reduce the flair- shorten the leg to suit.

Or these:
http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/trousers/trouser2.html

Scroll right down and you'll see he lovely, Black, (Bedford)Cord variety of "Old West" trou'. These and those above have the horizontal pockets(I think they go slightly around the corner (donkey ear?)from horizontal horizontal with a slight, vertical return at the outside edge- makes putting yer hands in the pockets easier). This style and above have a high waist, as you can see- the top ones are cotton duck- they all look good but have narrow drainpipe legs.
I have a similar pair from COWS(Classic Old West Styles) in canvas- very comfy and those front pockets are great.

Otherwise- Swedish wool(correct pocket style), repro German-a few styles with horizontal/flapped pockets, reinforced bum, roomy fit, etc.
Swiss(I have) are the right shape too.

I fancy some of those River Junction Cords anyway.


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[nobodyspecial]

Some years ago Filson made knickers from their wipcord fabric. I've heard Filson will do special orders on request so you could have a pair made up. I found a pair in a thrift store once that were too large for me and I sold them on ebay. The knickers are very nice; large room pockets, double seat and knees, tight weave to the fabric. Many knickers have double fabric seats, but not all have double fabric knees. My aging knees appreciate the extra warmth.

If you are looking for a more modern, 1970's, climbing movie, The Eiger Sanction with Clint Eastwood is great.

 

[BellyTank]

Some more new/old Adventure clothing...

In my continued search for Vintage Outing-Wear...

Salty, Tailor made Khaki Drill short sleeved Bush Shirt.
So much hand work in this. It has front and rear yokes with pleating into the front and back panels. It also has shoulder pads. This is probably '40s but could be earlier. This one is cool and reminds me of Bush Shirt from the old magazines- AA, Esquire.

French "Chore Jacket" style. This one is quite rustic and very Salty.

Close up.

British, '40s Brown Denim work pants. CC41
The cloth is the same as the Wartime British Green denim but brown.
I've seen Prison work uniforms in this cloth before.
These are enormous, 42"+ waist and a 37" inseam, so have plenty of room for altering down
and will soon be Tin Tin pants! Need the back pocket to be altered, darting into the rear waist- they may even get front pleats-
they will surely be Plus Eights, maybe Tens...!

Check out the Label.

More later.


B
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[Panache]

I had trouble finding this thread with the search function and posted these pictures originally in the "What are you wearing today?" thread

Wolseley Pith Helmet from Village Hat Company
Safari Shirt (not visible) by Eddie Bauer
Safari Jacket a prototype from Empire Canvas Works
Khaki hose and horse tail fly whisk from What Price Glory


Quick question for any of those here who have the Village Hat company Pith Helmet, can you soak them in water like the originals to help keep you cool without damaging the hat?

Cheers

Jamie

 

[nobodyspecial]

Empire Canvas Works made a safari jacket?

 

[Panache]

Empire Canvas Works made a safari jacket?

They are a small family owned company in Minnesota that work with traditional materials, here is their website:

http://www.empirecanvasworks.com/entry page.htm

The jacket is a prototype so it won't be in their catalogue

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Creeping Past]

"French "Chore Jacket" style"

Bags more style than the usual type field coat/yard coat currently available. Good pockets. And a buttonhole, too. Is that a draw-string waist?

"British, '40s Brown Denim work pants. CC41"

Perhaps Empire made, given the "Terrific super" tag? India? They look useful.

"These are enormous, 42"+ waist"

Easy now! Just my size...

 

[BellyTank]

"French "Chore Jacket" style"

Bags more style than the usual type field coat/yard coat currently available. Good pockets. And a buttonhole, too. Is that a draw-string waist?

"British, '40s Brown Denim work pants. CC41"

Perhaps Empire made, given the "Terrific super" tag? India? They look useful.

"These are enormous, 42"+ waist"

Easy now! Just my size...

The buttonhole is an actual buttonhole... for a button...
Drawstring- almost- 10mm elastic, with a metal hook on either end-
hook 'em together.
Pants, Empire, Brown, Denim.
No- I don't think so but ARBRO- it could be Arshad Brothers.
Are you really a 42"+ waist?

Jackets for patterning, prototyping, trousers for altering and wearing...
and patterning and making copies... and.
Spent the day studying vintage garment construction.
And drinking beer on my balcony.
Blowing the cobwebs off the Bernette, Sunday.

Good luck with the Tweed.

BT

 

[tonypaj]

In my continued search for Vintage Outing-Wear...

Salty, Tailor made Khaki Drill short sleeved Bush Shirt....


B
T

Where do you get this stuff? I lived two years in Copenhagen in the early 90s, have spent a lot of time in Stockholm, and I'm baffled. Maybe things have changed... Anyway, no chance of anything like this in Geneva, where I'm now, either...

 

[Mike K.]

Quick question for any of those here who have the Village Hat company Pith Helmet, can you soak them in water like the originals to help keep you cool without damaging the hat?

Yes you can! I even took one stripped off the pug to hand-wrap a new one and also re-dyed the entire helmet. They can take a dunking!

 

[BellyTank]

Location irrelevant-

Where do you get this stuff? I lived two years in Copenhagen in the early 90s, have spent a lot of time in Stockholm, and I'm baffled. Maybe things have changed... Anyway, no chance of anything like this in Geneva, where I'm now, either...

eBay is a place to start.
France, Germany, Italy, UK... even .com

...and it's good to have friends with eyes.


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[Mojave Jack]

Yes you can! I even took one stripped off the pug to hand-wrap a new one and also re-dyed the entire helmet. They can take a dunking!

Mike, you re-dyed a helmet? I've been wanting to do that to a helmet to get a darker khaki, closer to a brown color. My ideal would be the color of Dr. Leidner's helmet in Murder in Mesopotamia, the A&E version.

Incidentally, while doing some research on using an alidade, I came across some great photos at the USGS site of surveyors at work.

This one looks like home!

I particularly like this one

And this one

 

[Nick Charles]

Jack there are some good survey pics in the new Common Ground.

any pics of the helmet Mike??

 

[Mike K.]

any pics of the helmet Mike??

This is one of the Village Hat Shop pith helmets - African model. Originally it was a very light khaki and I wanted it darker, so into the RIT dye bath it went. To get khaki you mix roughly one package of tan and a half package of pearl gray. You'll also need a tub big enough to dunk & soak the helmet. The dye bath needs to be almost boiling temperature. The photos don't do it justice, but here is the finished product, complete with new hand-wrapped pug.

This particular helmet, although a Village Hat pith, was actually acquired off eBay. It must have been a seconds helmet as the outer cloth was finished on the shorter front brim instead of the longer back brim. I like the contrast pug. I've been thinking of getting another, keeping the original pug, and doing the re-dye.

 

[Mike K.]

Incidentally, I have a couple of wildlife surveys to do in the upcoming weeks. Perhaps I will be able to post a few photos of me in action wearing all my normal/vintage field gear.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Jack there are some good survey pics in the new Common Ground.

any pics of the helmet Mike??

Yes, the article on the anniversary of the CCC? Very cool stuff.

This is the truck that I want for cruising around and doing my historic archeology tours. I wish they had better pics of it. Not sure what that surveyor is doing, or why his stance is so...odd.

Mike, that helmet looks great! Did the helmet soften up when you dunked it into near-boiling water? I was afraid it would distort under those conditions or fall apart. What's the liner look like on that helmet? I got the French version, too, because it has the better suspension.

Both Nick and Mark assure me that it doesn't look like I have a pith-helmet-shaped turkey platter on my head, but to me it looks positively huge. I have the white one, but if the African Safari version had the better suspension, I'd have probably gotten it. As it is, it just has the headband.